Sept 11th 2009 Ramin Gina Simon

Thanks to the return of POL (but for how long?) I went back to get this 1. To save it and 2. To post it here as I really like it for some reason... Anyway apologies to anyone who read it before POL crashed.

Ramin - Ramin was Ramin. I sort of know what to expect from his Phantom now perfectly good, not much complaints except something is seriously going on with his mic at points... at least I think it's his mic and not him but it's been the same since June practically and you'd think it would be sorted. He really emphasised the "me" in "Sing for me" which I liked. He stood up a bit early in the AIAOY (reprise) I thought and looked unsteady on his feet, never seen that before. Also looked like he was going to miss a step in WSS and my heart stopped for a moment. His FL was good except he did the "shhh" thing I really don't like in the boat covering Gina's mouth and saying "shhhhh."

Gina - Well I am really pleased she is back to how she was at the beginning of the last cast. She still over acts at points but I can live with that when her voice is absolutely fantastic. Really liked her in Il Muto as well, she climbs right on top of Rebecca, saucy! Loved her in AIAOY as I LOVE when Christine bends down to Raoul's level and guides him up after the proposal. I love how she puts her arms to Simon's head in TEW as if to say "How can I make you understand?" it is quite heart breaking actually. Her Wishing was so emotional, I started crying, again, she just really seems to be connecting to the song lately and is just fantastic. She was really fantastic in the FL, she was so strong and really taking Ramin on, it was good.

Simon - He may actually be nearly perfect in his portrayal of Raoul, he is almost... almost what I envision Raoul to be and act like. Okay there was a "questionable" moment in Think of Me and I thought it was back to last October (which really is never good...) but I can live with it. Prima Donna was fantastic and him and Rebecca really both do have such powerful voices they completely dominate the whole thing. He looked misty eyed at one point in AIAOY and that set me off. He was good in Mme Giry's Tale despite Nicky (more on her later.) I still think he dominates the majority of WC which annoys me but it doesn't look like it will change anytime soon. His FL was great, as usual, the pacing at the portcullis is sort of growing on me, he said "Go to h€ll!" so loudly at one point and I actually jumped in my seat. And as usual his "I did it all for you and all for nothing" set me off.

Rohan - Fantastic Piangi he really is. He is already working really well with Rebecca and as always he got lots of laughs during Hannibal. He also did something I hadn't noticed before during Notes II before closing his jacket over he sort of looked down at his stomach as if to say "what? I need to lose weight?" and then shuffled backwards, i really liked it.

Rebecca - Well for a week into the role she is doing amazing. Actually to be honest she is already better than Kate was and even overtook Wendy to become my favourite Carlotta in one show. She is already adding little touches that I really like, it's more about her facial expressions, they are just perfect. In Hannibal she shooed Meg and Christine away and was constantly giving little mini rounds of applause to Rohan. She was acting really pouty during the first notes scene and was just playing the typical opera diva perfectly and in Prima Donna she was just fantastic. Her voice really powerful and as she sang each line she was staring up and smiling as though imagining all the "adoring crowds." In Il Muto she kicks her legs right up and I think it was around here I realised I think she is taking some of her cues from movie Carlotta... but it does actually work. During Notes II she was really rounding on Gina, she became quite menacing at that point!

Gareth Snook - I still love him as Andre, and absolutely love the whole "ballet" bit he does, mouthing "the ballet" as he walks offstage although he did sort of open his cloak at one point during the very beginning of Masquerade though so you actually saw the skeleton costume underneath before the "reveal." It still got a lot of laughs when it was properly revealed though. I've noticed something though, why is Andre out of the two managers more worried about "another chandelier?" I noticed that Andre runs off at the point in Masquerade when the Phantom mentions it and he brings it up in Notes II. Just a random observation.

Barry James - Is growing on me, finally. He isn't playing up the whole drunk Firmin thing anymore and I don't even think his hip flask was in sight at all during the show, much improved. Not entirely keen on his way of singing but he certainly didn't annoy me as much as usual so getting there!

Nicky Adams - Okay, I am sorry and I usually hate to be so negative about one person but I can't think of anything I like about her Giry. She forgot the majority of her lines and wasn't even covering it up well. It was especially noticeable in Giry's tale, tripping over a lot of her words. It really felt like she was just going through the motions of "how to play Madame Giry" and rushing a lot. She didn't even look like Madame Giry to me but I am not going to completely write her off yet!

Emma Harris - I really enjoyed her performance as Meg. Her voice is actually really strong aswell so for once Meg's lines aren't completely lost! She really looked sweet as well, she reminded me a bit of Lindsey Wise as Meg actually. I loved how in Notes she didn't try to sneak a look at the notes her and Simon actually stood at the table comparing Notes, I also noticed that instead of holding his hands in Prima Donna she grabbed his arms and really looked up at him, I liked it! She was very cute in Masquerade , I can't put my finger on why but she was. She was very "bouncy" it seemed, excitable throughout the show, really like her.

Random Notes:

-There was some questionable dancing going on Masquerade which had me in stitches! As usual though people around me had no clue why I was laughing but really it was just priceless.
- I am not a fan of the new Lefevre, but I think I am biased as I really liked David L in the last cast.
- The new Buquet, while he DOES have (it seems) an excellent singing voice he seemed to really be trying to show it off in the few lines he has and it just didn't go. I especially noticed it in "must" in "must be a ghost." He really dragged out the "must." But it DID make me want to see him as Phantom though (although he isn't ready to go on yet, I wonder when the understudies will be?)
- I really miss Owain as Policeman in the Pit but I think it is just because he really made the role his own (even early in his run.) But Will is good, he just doesn't really DO much with it.
- Scary Masquerade clown was on as was Hula Girl but no Fish.
- All in all this cast is already probably the strongest I have seen. ALOT stronger than last year (I prefer this years ensemble although only a few new faces), and a bit stronger than the 07-08 (mainly down to Simon's Raoul and Rebecca's Carlotta.) However had Heather stayed on as Giry it would actually be my perfect cast!
- I think this was the performance where Simon made a small boy cry... no comment!

Thanks for such a detailed review Ruthy. Glad you enjoyed the show!
Although its a real shame the star of the show (the fish) did not make an appearance in Masquerade.

Simon Bailey making young boys cry ??

Oh the poor guy, the boy must have been of a nervous disposition it seems and Simon's Final Lair was too much for him to handle. And the mother ignored the child... anyway. Yes I would much rather The Fish be on than The Scary Clown but The Clown was involved in some excellent ad lib dancing....

ruthy wrote:Oh the poor guy, the boy must have been of a nervous disposition it seems and Simon's Final Lair was too much for him to handle. And the mother ignored the child... anyway. Yes I would much rather The Fish be on than The Scary Clown but The Clown was involved in some excellent ad lib dancing....

Not sure if I should be utterly scared or very amused...

It was quite literally one of the oddest shows I had actually been to. You would have been forgiven at parts for thinking during Masquerade that it was a cast change matinee! There was a little conga type dance going on at the back of the stage involving the clown, the monkey and someone else I didn't catch. Then the clown was lifting the monkey up as the monkey did jazz hands. It was odd. Very odd. Scary to see that evil looking face doing such a happy dance!